The use of instantaneously operable "strobe" lights is well known for its dazzling effects in places of entertainment and the like, characteristically systems which require considerable power and not conducive to being light weight and/or portable. High intensity strobe lights are of course battery powered for use in photography, but still far too cumbersome and much too expensive for the purposes herein disclosed. Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a light and inexpensive instantaneous light display that is self contained and combined with motion generating means and programmed to produce pseudo multiple lighting effects.
The use of capacitor discharge light provides intense light of controlled duration, instantaneous or prolonged. Heretofore, such systems have been high voltage devices limited in use, and very expensive. On the contrary, it is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive system of the type under consideration wherein prolonged use producing intense emission of light of controlled duration is made possible and combined with said motion generating means for the production of an infinite range of pseudo multi light effects. The geometric display of multi light patterns becomes infinite. With the present invention Light Emitting Diodes, LEDs, are employed as a low cost means for producing intense, instantaneous and/or prolonged light emission from a low voltage power source such as a small portable battery power pack.
The use of the aforesaid LEDs is met with certain problems when considering the effects sought to be attained with the present invention; the voltage applied, the frequency of application and the duration thereof, all of which are precisely controlled with the present invention. The consideration of voltage is most important because most linear integrated circuits are designed to operate with power supplies of 4.5 to 40 volts, and for this reason practically no battery portable powered equipment is ever provided with indicator lights, due to the unacceptable power drain. Furthermore, LEDs will not light from a 1.5 volt battery, and drain a sufficient battery at a rapid rate. It is an object therefore, to pulse drive the LED, utilizing what has become known in the art as a "flasher" circuit, whereby sufficient voltage for flashing an LED can be generated with a single 1.5 volt cell, and operable as low as at 1.1 volt. However, intense light is also an object herein, in which case higher voltages than 1.5 are employed, for example 6 volts applied over spaced periods of short duration. Higher threshhold voltage is required for green LEDs (yellow and orange), red emitters having a lower voltage threshold for operation.
Flashers for the aforesaid purpose are available as Integrated Circuits, ICs, which open new applications for linear circuitry. In practice sufficient voltage for flashing a light emitting diode can be generated with a cell voltage down to 1.1 volts. In such low duty cycled applications batteries will last for months to years of continuous service. Such flasher circuits become practical for marker location, emergency epuipment such as for example boat moorings to be located in the dark. Such an IC is the FLASHER LM 3909 as manufactured by National Semicunductor of Santa Clara, Calif. This IC is simple in design, easy to use, very small and light in weight, and includes internal resistors that reduce the amount of external curcuitry, and components, thus minimizing the size of a complete oscillator circuit, as will be described.
It is an object of this invention to provide adjustment for shaping the controlling pulse width spacing and duration, thereby producing a variation in lighting effect ranging from dots to bars of separated and overlapping light, when combined with said motion generating means. Electronic shaping of the pulse width space and duration modifies the LEDs appearance, from individual spots to elongated bars when combined with motion. By electronically controlling the wave form and pulse frequency and by extending the dwell time or pulse width, a series of points of light change into bars of light, and overlapping results in change of color. Accordingly, it is also an object of this invention to control the said motion generating means, whereby linear or rotational motion affects the amount of visual light points retained by the viewer. This technique is highly utilitarian and lends itself to the toy industry and like arts, where cost savings is always a prime consideration. The motion generating means is essentially linear at variable rates of speed, rectilinear or rotary motion and combinations thereof. Fundamentally, a single LED pulsed 30 times per second and moving at 30 inches per second will produce a visible light image at every inch position, or 30 points of light over a distance of 30 inches. A prolonged pulse produces a bar length commensurate with its duration. Thus, rectilinear motion produces dots and straight bars of light, advantageously employing image retension in the person's eyes viewing the phenomenon as it occurs.
It is comtemplated that the motion generating means can take various forms in addition to the directly viewed light emitters as they are disclosed as the preferred embodiment herein; for example, light projectors and viewers are contemplated and the use of mirrors and such means that provide light movement rectilinearly and rotary and compound movements thereof. In practice, the image retension provides the viewer with infinite varieties of geometric figures which are two and three dimensional and composites of the adjustably controlled light emission and motion applied, as will be described.
It is still another object of this invention to provide for automatic variation in waveform, responsive to ambient light, either to slow or to speed the circuit flash rate with an increase in ambient light. The preferred embodiment hereinafter disclosed is exemplary of the many uses to which this pseudo multi light display and generator may be put. As shown, it is an object to advantageously employ this lighting system in a roller skate wheel, or any such circular device, the roller skate providing the motion generating means by which rectilinear and rotary motion is is applied in combination with means to intermittantly illuminate lamps (LEDs). It is also an object of this invention to provide multi colored light emission, in a phase relationship that is complimentary. As shown, there are red and green LEDs carried at diametrically opposite positions upon a disc rotatable with at least one skate wheel. It will be observed therefore, that smallness and lightness are prime factors to be considered, the size and weight of the embodiment shown being applicable to roller skates without detriment to the operation thereof.
The pseudo multi light display device and generator as it is shown applied to the wheel of a roller skate is a self contained battery powered unit removeably applied to the outside face of a skate wheel and of a configuration to expose the skate hub or axle. As shown, the unit of the present invention is a ring-shaped disc with the center void for the application of tools for the servicing, removal and replacement, of the wheel and axle assembly. In carrying out this invention, the controls of the device are exposed at the front surface and periphery thereof, namely a frequency/waveform controller and an ON-OFF switch respectively.